NBC U Takes Out Blind Date Again

The renewal comes despite a big ratings drop for Blind Date and the entire genre this past year.

Season-to-date, ratings for Blind Date are down 25% from a 1.6 national AA rating in 2004 to a 1.2 in 2005, while its primary competitor, Telepictures’ Elimidate, has is down 21% over the same period, from a 1.4 to a 1.1.

The dating genre, which only a few years ago boasted a multitude of strips, has been pretty much a wallflower, in part because of its explosion, then flameout, in network prime time reality.

The renewal of Blind Date, sold in more than 92% of the U.S. for next season, will give the NBC syndication operation a continuing presence on Tribune, with Maury and The Jerry Springer Show appearing on the Tribune stations and Date moving from primarily Fox O&Os to primarily Tribune outlets.